Nitrogen efficiency of dairy cattle : from protein evaluation to ammonia emission

Diet optimization contributes considerably to increased nitrogen efficiency of dairy cattle, resulting in reduced nitrogen losses. This thesis focuses on three themes: the potential advances in protein evaluation systems for ruminants, the relationship between dairy cow diet and ammonia emission and the opportunities to monitor ammonia emission from dairy cow barns by application of milk urea content as a practical indicator. Overall, the present work shows that farm management can be aimed at increased nitrogen efficiency of dairy cattle and reduced ammonia emission without compromising other sustainability objectives such as the integral ecological footprint, animal health and farm profitability.